(c) Lalo Badillo

A bitter-sweet race weekend under Mexican high-speed conditions

Despite excellent form Michi unfortunately could not (yet) realize the dream of the Kona Quali 2022.

Since the beginning of the race week Michi had a cold in Mexico and had to fight with cough, cold & chills. He was tested negative for Covid-19 several times before the race and has also already had the complete vaccination protection. The preparations ran optimally and accordingly he was in good shape before the race. The weather, especially the high humidity on Cozumel, did not play into his cards with the health problems.

Nothing stood in the way of a fast race
Cozumel showed its best side on Sunday in terms of best times. Although pouring rain fell from the sky before the start, the conditions were perfect. Contrary to all doubters, the swim was certainly not too short, but only a result of the point-to-point course with strong current from behind. On the bike, there was an alternating rain and sunshine, but with barely noticeable wind. On the run course the stinging heat stayed away - record-breaking conditions!

Michi's race
The swim was brilliant! He came out of the sea in the first chasing group only 3 minutes behind the leaders and ran with a good, relaxed feeling into the transition zone, where he could already overtake some competitors.
The cold made him visibly difficult, as he had to cough constantly during the warm-up, where at times like these everyone looks at you strangely when you have to clear your throat. The swim was also characterized by several coughing fits when exhaling.

On the bike, a very fast pace was set right from the start. Michi started very aggressively and came closer and closer to the top after one lap with 325-330 average watts. The coughing and the mucus in the airways did not get better on the bike. The longer the bike course lasted, the weaker Michi felt, which could also be due to the antibiotics in the run-up to the race. On the 3 bike laps around the island it was a slalom run through the water puddles - and that at the base bar. In the last lap a real traffic jam formed, because the pros were catching up more and more lapped age-groupers. But Michi also managed to catch up with the big group around Ruedi Wild, Giulio Molinaro and Pieter Heemeryck.

In the runners the Gumpoldkirchner got away very well, as he tactically put himself at the front of the group at the end of the bike course to avoid a changeover scramble. He managed to run up to 2nd place. Despite the good legs, Michi felt sickly. He felt a constant pressure on his lungs and chest. In the end it was not worth the risk to possibly catch something worse. He finished the race - health first!

Siesta before Lockdown
The last days the mental processing of the defeat and the regeneration in the El CozumeleƱo Beach Resort were in focus, which is easy in this paradisiacal place. Until next week, when the next trip, an educational trip - to an ART seminar in Colorado Springs - is scheduled, it's off to the lockdown at home to Chrissie, Lola and Maya.


Gracias y Adios, Mexico!

IRONMAN Cozumel closed up